Maturing
by wonwingangel
Summary: Anyone and everyone can read this as long as they understand that I've rated this 'R' for reasons explained at the beginning. It's about Yuna coming to grips with her life and the strange character that follows her...


Disclaimer: I don' own the rights to FFX, but I do have the right to enjoy it!

Okay, quick note… This is a really weird story (actually, it's a one-shot, so this is it!), but there is a lot of meaning behind it. I'm attempting to write a piece of literature rather than just a story. Thus, I'm interested in hearing more than just your review, but your analysis. This meaning I want to hear what you think the story means and why. Why did I write the story the way I did? What exactly is this story about? And of course, I love reviews, so tell me what you like and don't like.

One last thing, you may have noticed that I rated this 'R'. That's just to be extra safe and if you think I can turn it down to 'PG-13' then I will. There is some nudity, but I tried to do it as tastefully as I could. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

_Maturing_

_

* * *

_

So, here I was, on a bright sunny day, passing over the Mi'ihen Highroads. I have seen many days in the span of my existence and this was turning out to be no different than the others. However, while most would turn petulant over such monotonous days, I have thoroughly enjoyed my freedom. I have nothing to worry about in contrast to the various elders who focus on such meaningless pastimes. My innocent youth prevails over the evil that I have seen. I only fear the day that I'm awakened, the day I lose my naive ways. But, why should I care about such things? 'Tis for the elderly, I say!

Thus, I went back to my carefree ways, petting the grass and blowing the leaves. Not too many people came to the Mi'ihen Highroads, being that it is fiend infested. Yet, I hardly mind the infinitesimal creatures prowling for destruction. Nay, they hardly even know I'm even here, bathing in the glorious sunlight. Yes, it is quite sunny here and it is very rare when my friend stops by these roads. He spends most of his time working in the Thunder Plains. Sometimes I go over to help him, but most people get annoyed when I do. So, I pretty much just hang out around here. Don't get me wrong, I'm always on the move, but the Highroads provide a tranquility I can't seem to find anywhere else.

Yeah, life was pretty good. I looked up at the clouds which were so weak compared to me. I laughed at their puny substance and pushed them along with the mere tinker of my mind. I always enjoyed pushing them around. However, it was starting to get boring so I let out a sigh to compensate. This, of course, caused the grass around me to fold and bend. Maybe it was time to go elsewhere? That's when I saw her.

She came by here often, like I did. I had to have seen her at least a dozen times since that fateful day. She and a few friends were the final victors against the ever dominating Sin. She brought a Calm that not even I could disturb. I always felt star-struck when she came by, probably because I knew her reasons were like my own. She needed a place of tranquility.

She was simply titled Yuna, daughter of High Summoner of Lord Braska. But, she was a High Summoner herself, far surpassing her father's legacy. She had brought the _Eternal_ Calm. Many summoners have defeated Sin bringing the population spurts of time to be free from its destruction, but, it always came back until Yuna took care of it, once and for all. Unfortunately for her, it was not all strawberries and cream. I remember rushing over their magnificent Al Bhed airship watching as her love faded away into a distant memory. I believe I started crying, but was immediately halted by my friend who said that that was his job.

So, Yuna is facing a great depression that she manages to hide very well. Of course, she often breaks down in front of me out here on the roads. Still, I figured six months was enough time to recuperate from such a loss. However, what I am I to say I know anything about death, if that's what it could be called. And, every time I tried to help, she'd just shiver as if my advice were horrifying. Of course, I gave up on that, but I continued to listen.

Yeah, she often has a lot to say. She has no one to talk to and yet, she talks to everyone. She's a worldwide celebrity! Killing Sin forever made her quite the popular girl and now everyone has to talk to her as if they'd gain something from it. I saw her in Bevelle and her followers constantly badgered her, never leaving her a moment for herself. Even her hometown of Besaid gave her no peace, as they constantly celebrated her existence. Yuna's thoughts were too deep to discuss with her close friends, so she just bottled it up. At least, she bottled it up until she got here where she'd let it all out. What a perfect place to free your mind, where the only people who did come here were merely passerby-types. So, I followed her over to her favorite spot, just a mile off the main road.

I still couldn't believe that she was wearing such a formal dress, especially since it overly honored the Yevon's standard. But, it was fun to play with and throw all about. I watched as the High Summoner composedly walked over to a soft patch of grass and quaintly sit down, moving her blue skirts to the side of her lean legs. Then, the petite woman lifted her chest and let out a long sigh.

"Where have the days gone?" She said aloud.

"To the past, dear Yuna." I responded with a smile.

She readjusted her hair and crossed her arms, slightly shuttering. She then looked up at the sky and folded her arms. The prude dress covered her arms and every other part of her body except for her head. Her chestnut-brown hair was even more flowing than her dress, which also stimulated my interests.

She stared at the sky for quite a while and I waited for her to speak again. Her silence was chilling, but I was patient, well, as patient as I could be. I have a hard time staying still and I prefer to move constantly, even when I'm in the middle of a conversation. Yuna let out another daunting sigh and rubbed her neck as she stopped viewing the sky.

"Six months…" Yuna started.

"Since what?" I interjected.

"Six months since we defeated Sin…" Yuna continued.

"'We'? I hardly had anything to do with that battle."

"And…" She ignored my comment, like she often does. "And merely seven months since we…"

"Since we what? Come on, Yuna, you can tell me. You seem even more down than usual."

"…since you comforted me at Macalania Forest." She said with a slight smile forming at the corner of her pink lips. "I really… miss you."

Oh, she was talking about _him_. Why was she talking to that dead imaginary friend? I mean, come on, he's gone! I wish she'd just talk to me and forget about that guy. Suddenly, Yuna stood up looking angered.

"I can't keep doing this!" She exclaimed. "Spira depends on my leadership and strength. All my memories of you just make me sad and then I have to hide it! That's even worse! The Calm is supposed to be a time of happiness, unbound by the fear of destruction. Tidus, I tell you now, I am not happy!"

She was pacing in a circle explaining her feelings with the motion of her hands. She was staring at the ground as if it were listening. I knew it wasn't, being that it never really cares to listen to anyone. I tell you, those elders just get grumpy! I need to console her, somehow. But, every time I said anything, it just annoyed her. Maybe it would feel good to stroke her hair…

She ran her hands through her flowing hair and slightly laughed. Hmm… I guess that worked.

"You know…" She said, continuing to laugh. "Your laughing trick really doesn't help. Whenever I get sad, I try forcing myself to laugh, but it just looks awkward. The only way it truly works is if you have someone to laugh _with_."

"I'll laugh with you, Yuna." I said calmly as to not disrupt her from her thoughts.

"'Unbound'…" She said thinking back on a word she mentioned earlier. "That's my problem, I'm still _bound_. I'm bound to leadership, to support, to my old ways… to you and love. I am not a free woman, which is the entire reason I started my pilgrimage. For _freedom_."

My attention span was not holding well, which is the greatest problem with the young. I wanted to help so badly, but at the same time I was ready for a change. Honestly, how long could I listen to her whine about her pastimes? She can't be _that_ broken. She's still so young to be so sad. I won't let that happen to me, no way. As I have said, sadness is for the old grumps!

"I…" She continued. "I need to change. I need a way to look forward at tomorrow, instead of constantly haunting myself of yesterday. But, what can I do? Help me… Help me to stop thinking… about you."

Playfully, I rolled a few rocks beside her as I energetically circled her, almost completely void of what she was saying. She slowly walked over to the rocks and leaned down next to them. I stopped to see what she was doing. She picked one of the rocks up and started walking slowly from her picked-out location.

"I need to be a rock." She said aloud.

What? A rock? What was she talking about? Perhaps I should have listened closer. She looked up and laughed.

"I know… I know it sounds silly." She continued with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, Yuna, it does."

"See… A rock… A rock is sturdy and hard to crack. It doesn't cry and it can hold its ground. But, it is not bound to the ground as it can move freely with the wind."

"Yeah! That's right, free like me! Yuna, you should try to be more like me!"

"And no matter where I throw it…" She then threw the rock down the hillside. "It just adjusts to its new scenery and rolls along. I simply need to be a rock."

"Not a rock, silly, me! You need to be like me!"

"But… how? How can I free myself from these chains? Hmm…" She said thinking aloud.

She turned around and went back to her spot on the grass. I looked down the hillside at where the rock had rolled to. If she'd just take my advice, then all her problems would be solved. She has to move forward instead of constantly backward. I went over to try and tell her, but she seemed to be in a deep state of meditation.

So, I finally stopped moving around and I let her think. I went back to my cloud-pushing to keep from being bored, because I figured it would take her a while. Then, the High Summoner started crying.

"I can't forget you!" She said with the tears building under her eyes. "I just don't want to be sad anymore. I want to smile because I want to, not because I have to. Oh, why couldn't I have died like I was suppose to? Then, you'd be going through this instead of me. No… No… I'm sorry; I wouldn't want you to have to deal with this. But, you did get off rather easy. That's not what I meant, I'm sorry. Okay! I'm sorry! I don't know what to do."

She was shaking her fist at the ground. The river of tears crested on her flushed face. What could I do to help her? Nothing… This would be the last time I followed her out here. It was too depressing and there are so many more fun things to do. What did it matter that she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen? I guess a lot, since I had followed her over here quite a few times before.

"I want to be free." She looked up, lifting her hands, searching for an answer. "Even the free wind is silent as if portraying my sadness!"

No, no. I'm not trying to 'portray your sadness.' I was trying to give you some room so you could think. Why do girls always have to be so complicated? Fine, I'll give you the advice you need and then I'm leaving.

"You have to be like me!" I shouted as loud as I could.

This knocked her back as she grabbed onto her extensive clothes.

"Oh my… I'm sorry."  
I think this might be the first time she's ever acknowledged me! All those times of coming out here with her were finally paying off! Okay, I need to focus and not lose her attention. Oh no, it looks like it's too late!

She was looking at the clothes that she had grabbed onto. She then quickly stood up and stared at herself as if she had never seen such clothing before.

"I'm still wearing this?" She asked herself. "These are… summoner's clothes. I don't believe in Yevon anymore…right?"

She stood motionless considering the question.

"No, no I don't. So, why am I wearing these clothes? Clothes worn to represent Yevon. The clothes I wore when you left me. These are my chains! How can I ever be free when I'm stuck in my own world!?"

Without any warning, she tore at the fabric. She ripped off a sleeve and pulled at the skirts. She yelled and screamed frantically attacking herself as if she had a ton of fleas poured onto her.

After a few moments of this chaos, she stopped, breathing heavily. I caught all the shreds and floated them over to a general area next to the grassy spot. Yuna looked like she had just been in a battle with a Behemoth! Her clothes were ripped, torn along the seams and fringed at the edges. She was crying again.

"That felt good…" She managed to laugh through her tears. "Alright. I have to let go of it all…"

She paused as if it were a dramatic pause before a long speech. I was right…

"I will no longer be bound by the weight of the world on my shoulders. I will let my hair flow freely in the ever present wind…"

Oh, goody, she was acknowledging me again. Oh, oh! And she was allowing me to play with her hair!

"…I will make my own decisions and I will be my own individual. I will not be swayed by the words of fellow friends or complete strangers. I am old enough to decide what is right and what is wrong. I don't have to follow ancient or new religions just because they are religion. I will love…"

She said this with a smile, as if she were lost in her own words.

"I will love the scent of blooming flowers and the sight of rushing water. I will love my friends and my enemies. I will love you, Tidus, but I will not lock my heart away anymore. I will love you and I will offer my love to whoever can also capture my heart. I will simply love.

"I must continue leading this planet in the right direction. Tidus, Sir Jecht, Auron, and father. You have all paved a road for this world's future and I shall walk it with my head held high. I will be free!"

And, then, one last final pause.

"So, without further ado, I shall physically free myself from my chains. As I shed these summoner's clothes, I shed thy inner despair."

Yuna closed her eyes and let her head fall back limply. She pushed out her chest and reached back to untie the bow that latched the remaining dress onto her. With a few pulls and tugs, she untied it and slid the dress off her body…

I stopped completely frozen.

There, standing nude in front of me, was the most beautiful…thing, I'd ever seen and trust me, I've seen a lot! I've seen pastel-pink skies dance with turning seas. I've seen flowers that changed colors in front of my eyes. I've seen birds cradling their young in their wings. I've seen every color combination possible. I've seen hills roll over the horizon in seemingly beautiful curves. But, the curves of this specimen turned so elegantly, the hills would explode to mimic one-fourth of Yuna's beauty. Her hair had become like a feather as it brushed down her body past her chest. Suddenly, her face was more exquisite than it was just a moment ago. Her hands and slender legs were perfectly proportional to the parts I had never seen before. Her delicate skin shined as it gracefully moved along with Yuna's movements.

She was smiling. A tear from before exited her eye and had to quickly turn to find its way around her smile. Then, it rolled down her neck and between her bare breasts as it made haste towards her bellybutton. It then continued to place I had no words for.

Her heart was beating fast and her chest moved up and down like a yoyo. She was breathing hard. She extended her hands and kept her eyes closed as she let herself fall back on the grass. She continued to cry, but she was laughing at the same time. She turned from side to side as if she were mating with the lucky grass.

It was then I realized that I was still frozen. I couldn't see anything anymore except for the pure, untouched flesh in front of me. Yuna had just opened her heart to me and this is how I repaid her? I need to recompose myself and do something!

So, I instinctively moved to her and brushed her skin. I felt every miniscule blonde hair protruding from her body and I rubbed her arms, trying not to get too close to her breasts as that seemed wrong for some reason. I went to her hair and pushed it aside so I could see her tear-ridden face. I have no idea why I was doing all this, but it felt so right…

I went next to her ear and whispered her name. At this, she opened her eyes and relaxed her harsh breathing. She sat up and sighed, still smiling. She then got up and walked over to her dress and bent over to pick it up. Quickly, I ran over and wrapped around her body to feel the arch in her back against me. Yet, she continued to pick up the dress and she tore at it. Then, she put it back on and it was a miniature version of her dress. The sleeves were gone and the remaining skirt only covered that part that I had no words for. Her mid-drift was visible and the reformed dress showed her cleavage.

She looked around for a second and continued to smile as she dried her eyes.

"I feel much better now." She said aloud.

I didn't. I didn't want her to put her clothes back on and I wanted to see her naked again! Actually, my mind continued to replay the freeze frame of her naked. But, I didn't want it to be just a memory. I needed her and I had to have her! She has to be mine…

"That's odd…" She said, looking up at the sky. "It feels like it's raining…"

Then, she shrugged her shoulders and started walking towards the main road. I followed her frantically hoping she would stop for me, but, alas, she didn't stop this time. She walked and walked, right into Luca, right out of my life.

I did not know what to do, so I hurried over the Mi'ihen Highroad straight for Mushroom Rock Road, knocking everybody over in my path. It wasn't but a second when I got there. I had to talk to someone.

"Earth! Earth!" I shouted out.

The earth made a long sigh and then answered. "What is it this time, Wind?"

"You won't believe what I j-just saw!" I exclaimed.

"Wind," Earth said sternly, "I have no time for your pointless stories."

"What?" I asked angrily. "You're not going anywhere!"

"No, but I am in a big battle here with the Sea."

"Fine!" I said as I rushed down to the shore.

Blowing as hard as I could, the sea could not get any closer to Earth.

"Now, will you listen to me?" I threatened.

"Fine, what has gotten into you?" Earth wondered.

"I don't know!" I screamed not realizing I was screaming. "I saw Yuna!"

"You see her all the time, what's the big deal." Earth said grumpily.

"I saw… all of her." I said a little more quietly.

"You always see all of her…" Earth replied.

"Not _all_ of her…" I elaborated.

Earth was quiet for a moment and then it smiled consolingly at me.

"My poor Wind. There is so much I need to tell you…"

"Well, could you do it fast, I feel like I'm going to explode or implode… or something! Help me!" I started yelling again.

"Leave it to Wind to fall in love with a human." The Sea said sarcastically.

"Shut up, you old grump!" I yelled back at the pushed-back Sea.

"He's right you know. That's what this is…" Earth agreed.

"What? The Sea's your mortal enemy!" I exclaimed.

"Lemme guess, she left you didn't she?" The Sea said even more sarcastic.

"Well, he wouldn't be here if she were still with him." The Earth chuckled.

"What the hell? I hate you all! You can just be eroded for all I care!"

And, in a mad dash, I left the two enemies to continue their eternal battle.

* * *

Life sucks. Yuna doesn't come by anymore and I try to avoid her. Every time I'm near her, I can't speak. I'm so lonely and I wish I could just die. People continue to walk by me without saying anything to me and I just throw something at them. They're all so stupid and arrogant. I just don't have any time to waist on these morons. I just don't have the time anymore… I hope my friend doesn't mind if I do his job, just one more time…

**the end**

* * *

And, that's the story! Let me know what you think! Also, if I spelt any of the FF words wrong, sorry, I haven't played FFX in a few years… I await your review/analysis! 


End file.
